What’s New?
The new opportunity of Rosh Hashanah guarantees that all of the negative experiences of the past year do not impede our ability to turn over a new leaf. A new surge of Divine energy on Rosh Hashanah makes it possible for us to begin a new life, despite our past shortcomings. The new energies of Rosh Hashanah also challenge us to reach new heights in our service of G-d. What was sufficient and acceptable last year is not nearly enough this New Year.
The Same Old New Year
Rosh Hashanah is often referred to as the “New Year.” The question can be asked. Isn’t Rosh Hashanah merely the repetition of same cycle of days? Each year we go through the same number of days (in the Hebrew calendar it is usually 354) and this Rosh Hashanah will begin the 5,758th cycle – so what distinguishes this year of 5758, from all preceding years?
The Hebrew word Shanah (year) actually derives from a root that means “repetition,” because during each year everything we had the past year is repeated once more. Isn’t then the expression “New Year” an oxymoron?
Kabbalah teaches us that, in fact, every Rosh Hashanah, G-d introduces a new dimension of G-dly energy into the world that was never experienced before. Each Rosh Hashanah opens up new vistas and opportunities that were never available before.
Makes Life Easier even as it Challnges
Translated into practical terms, Rosh Hashanah makes life easier for us even as it poses a unique challenge. One the one hand, the new opportunity of Rosh Hashanah guarantees that all of the negative experiences of the past year do not impede our ability to turn over a new leaf. Though there might be some excessive negative baggage left over from the past that we still have to deal with, the new opportunities associated with a new surge of Divine energy on Rosh Hashanah makes it possible for us to begin a new life, despite our past shortcomings.
On the other hand, the fact that Rosh Hashanah is a new year with new Divine energies that are accessible to us, challenges us to reach new heights in our service of G-d. What was sufficient and acceptable last year is not nearly enough this New Year.
It is told that the fifth Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Sholom Dovber Schneersohn, would undertake to observe an additional custom or improvement in his fulfilling of the commandments. Notwithstanding his scrupulous devotion to every detail of Jewish law during the preceding year, he felt the need to grow even more with the arrival of the New Year.
As we await the onset of Rosh Hashanah of a New Year when the world will experience the departure of the life- force that characterized the spiritual thrust of this past year, and the introduction of the new, unprecedented lifeforce of the next year, it is an opportune time to reflect on the unique circumstances in which we find ourselves.
Crossroads
We are at the crossroads. Our generation has been characterized as simultaneously the last generation of exile and the first generation of Redemption. We have witnessed some of the darkest moments in the history of the world – and at the same time we have seen the greatest advancements in peace, tranquility and quality of life.
But how can we synthesize the two diametrically opposed realities?
Rosh Hashanah teaches us that our past shortcomings don’t need to be totally absolved before we can graduate to the next level. Likewise, the Messianic Age, will enable us to grow, even before we disentangle ourselves from the negativity that is associated with the present time of exile.
In addition, the Messianic Age, with its heightened level of Divine revelation will offer us a new challenge. We will be able to grow in ways that we can hardly imagine.
May we all experience a new year with new opportunities for spiritual growth and may we all merit the imminent revelation of Moshiach who will lead us into a world of new blessings and opportunities - a good and sweet year!
From the book Light from the Future: Rosh Hashanah by Rabbi Heschel Greenberg, published by the Jewish Discovery Center.
